The Impact of Social Networking on Political Participation
Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Artist Statement
In the past few years social networking websites such as MySpace or Facebook have become a growing popularity, but the social networking fad has also become an important factor in the democratic process. Social networking also plays a role in how a potential candidate campaigns and how these individuals allocate their money to ensure they reach the most possible number of voters. The current research examines to what extent social networking site use plays a critical role in the political participation process and the impact of this new media on shaping individuals’ political views. After conducting a review of social websites as well as political forums and looking at the frequency individuals used the websites and what they used the websites for, the current study, based on a survey of 300 college students, is examining how knowledgeable and how active these individuals are in the political realm, as well as how they reached their conclusion on how they vote in upcoming elections. Limitations and suggestions for future research are provided.
Location
DeRosa University Center, Room 211 A/B
Start Date
1-5-2010 9:00 AM
End Date
1-5-2010 12:00 PM
The Impact of Social Networking on Political Participation
DeRosa University Center, Room 211 A/B
In the past few years social networking websites such as MySpace or Facebook have become a growing popularity, but the social networking fad has also become an important factor in the democratic process. Social networking also plays a role in how a potential candidate campaigns and how these individuals allocate their money to ensure they reach the most possible number of voters. The current research examines to what extent social networking site use plays a critical role in the political participation process and the impact of this new media on shaping individuals’ political views. After conducting a review of social websites as well as political forums and looking at the frequency individuals used the websites and what they used the websites for, the current study, based on a survey of 300 college students, is examining how knowledgeable and how active these individuals are in the political realm, as well as how they reached their conclusion on how they vote in upcoming elections. Limitations and suggestions for future research are provided.